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Well-known politician Mary Peltola's husband, Eugene Peltola Jr., recently died in a plane accident in Alaska. Although there is no information available on how long they were married, Eugene was by the side of Mary when she defeated Republican former governor Sarah Palin, becoming the first woman representing Alaska in the House of Representatives.
Eugene's death was confirmed in a statement shared through Mary Peltola's X (formerly Twitter) account on September 13, 2023.
"He was one of those people that was obnoxiously good at everything. He had a delightful sense of humor that lightened the darkest moments. He was definitely the cook in the family. And family was most important to him. He was completely devoted to his parents, kids, siblings, extended family, and friends – and he simply adored Mary."
The statement ended by stating that Mary Peltola is returning home and requested privacy for the family as they mourn the loss of Eugene. The official work in the office would continue normally.
Mary Peltola is a mother of seven children from her marriages
Mary Peltola became a popular face in politics over the years. However, her personal life has also remained in the spotlight since she has been married three times. Her first marriage was to Jonathan Kapsner, and the second was with Joe G. Nelson.
According to GH Gossip, Mary is a mother of seven children. Four are her biological children and the other three are her stepchildren. However, the identities of all seven children have not been disclosed anywhere as of now.
Anchorage Daily News stated that Eugene Peltola Jr. joined the Bureau of Indian Affairs for Alaska as a regional director in 2018. He served in the position until 2022. He was also the assistant regional director at Alaska's US Fish and Wildlife Service for around 34 years.
Starting from 2010, he served as the vice mayor and council member for the city of Bethel. After leaving the position in 2012, he served in different Alaska Native village corporation organizations. The FAA database revealed that he had a commercial pilot certification issued in 2004.
Eugene Peltola Jr.'s cause of death explained
The Federal Aviation Administration says that Eugene Peltola Jr. was inside a plane where he was also the pilot. The aircraft crashed at 8:45 pm on Tuesday after taking off from St. Mary's, Alaska. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigationg the plane crash. A statement was made by NTSB mentioning some details.
"The pilot flew a hunter and the hunter's equipment to a remote location 64 miles away from St Mary's."
It further stated that the plane crashed while returning in a remote and mountainous terrain. The statement also disclosed that no one else was inside the plane apart from Eugene.
Various popular faces from the political world have paid tribute to Eugene Peltola Jr. after the news of his death went viral. US Representative Judy Chu wrote on X that Mary Peltola has been an "exceptional colleague" and that her husband touched the lives of many people with his "warmth and kindness."
Mary Peltola has been an executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and served as Bethel city councilor. She is also a member of the Orutsararmiut Native Council and the Russian Orthodox Church in Alaska.
